Bush favors new UN resolution on Iraq to convince allies

US President George W. Bush said Tuesday that he favors the adoption of a new United Nations resolution on Iraq in a bid to convince more countries to send troops to help stabilize the oil-rich country.

"I think one of the things you're seeing is more involvement bythe United Nations in terms of the political process (in Iraq). That's helpful," Bush said at a prime-time press conference in theWhite House, the first of its kind in this election year.

"I'd like to get another UN Security Council resolution out that will help other nations to decide to participate," he said.

This is the clearest message so far from the administration that it wants a new UN resolution on Iraq to accommodate concerns from US allies, especially Spain, over the mandate of their troopsin Iraq after Iraqis regain sovereignty on June 30.

US officials had said earlier that the United States is willingto consider such a resolution but insisted that UN Security Council resolution 1511 adopted in October last year has already provided the cover needed for foreign countries to deploy stabilizing troops in Iraq.

Source: Xinhua